A man yesterday about 4 p.m. brazenly climbed a structure to cut the cord attaching the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Winter Solstice banner in Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The city, which requires that its workers must place displays, had just put the banner up Wednesday. FFRF paid a $50 fee and had a permit.

A film crew with WNEP 16, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre caught the crime, committed by a young man who identified himself as Joe McDonald, who climbed about 30 feet up the sculpture, cut two wires holding one side of the banner, and placed an American flag. View the news story here. 

FFRF placed the sign in response to a very large menorah and prominent religious banner planted in Public Square. FFRF student member Justin Vacula had notified FFRF about the religious displays, and oversaw placement of the banner.

“No messages, religious or irreligious, should be placed in Public Square,” Justin told WNEP. But while religious displays are there, “we’re going to put up irreligious messages in protest.”

The city apparently made the decision about where to place the banner. (McDonald claimed he only tampered with the banner because it was “higher” than the other displays.) At this point, the city has not rehung the banner, which is dangling. Nor have police announced that they have ticketed, arrested or talked with the culprit. He excused his actions “in light of the elementary school massacre in Connecticut.”

“We are staggered by the brazen action of this young man. We have a permit and he has violated the law and our free speech rights. We expect the city to expeditiously rehang our banner and police to investigate and take appropriate action to enforce the law,” said Dan Barker, FFRF co-president.

FFRF thanks Justin for all his help, including filing a police report concerning the vandalism. FFRF was told both by city and police officials today that the people in charge were not available and no one else could help FFRF.

The City Council in Cheboygan, Mich., moved a nativity display off public property rather than give the Freedom From Religion Foundation equal time during the winter holiday season.

“We couldn't be more pleased,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. “We think religion — or irreligion — is divisive on public-owned property. If religious displays are allowed, ours should be allowed as well. But this resolution is a victory for the Establishment Clause.”

Instead of letting FFRF's "Let Reason Prevail" banner be displayed in a public park with the Kiwanis Club's religious nativity scene, the council voted Dec. 18 to ban all displays in Washington Park — except for secular displays by the Chamber of Commerce and the Opera House.

City Attorney Stephen Lindsay warned the council about denying FFRF’s request and facing litigation which “the city cannot win.”

City officials had either ignored or lodged spurious objections to FFRF's banner request starting in early December. The Kiwanis Club had put up the Christian display for 51 years.

Lindsay wrote FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert on Dec. 19 that the council voted to suspend all private displays on city property and will appoint a committee to develop regulations and policies for displays.

The Cheboygan Tribune reported that Kiwanians moved the crèche the next day to the Citizens National Bank parking lot.

National Bank CEO Sue Eno said it was an easy choice to give the space to the Kiwanis Club.

“The move here makes so much sense," bank CEO Sue Eno told the newspaper. "We just don’t need the controversy in the city.”

The potential controversy could have come about if council would have allowed the erection of the FFRF banner or if it denied the request. If a denial was the route taken, the group more than likely would have sued the city on the basis of separation of church and state as it has done in Warren, Mich.

“I respect council for doing what they did. That group (FFRF) is entitled to their beliefs as well,” Eno said. “However, we have a great location here, a more convenient location.”

FFRF is very appreciative of local supporters who followed the issue and spoke up for state-church separation, said Gaylor.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is challenging a nativity scene in North School Park in Arlington Heights, Ill., with a message about the "real reason for the season."

Despite being called "spoil sports" by a local resident, members of FFRF Metropolitan Chicago Chapter say that posting the group's Winter Solstice banner went without a hitch.

FFRF's 7½-by-3 banner states: "At this Season of the Winter Solstice, LET REASON PREVAIL. There are not gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth & superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

A group calling itself the Illinois Nativity Scene Committee (INSC) urged the Arlington Heights Park District to incorporate a nativity scene into the park's annual holiday display back in November. The Park District typically hosts a secular light display that features seasonal toys. The Thomas More Society, a Christian legal group representing INSC, argued that the Park District should incorporate a nativity scene into the government display. The Park District turned down the request and ultimately granted a permit to the committee to place a nativity scene in a separate area of the park.

Given the controversy, the Park District may adopt new rules on whether to allow private displays in future years.

The national state/church watchdog has over 19,000 members nationwide, including more than 670 in Illinois. The group's Chicago chapter also placed a sign in Niles, Ill., last week depicting the Founding Fathers reverently observing the Bill of Rights in a manger.

"It is our hope that one day government spaces will be free from religious — or irreligious — displays, but until then we will do our best to counter these unlawful displays and remind passersby of the 'real reason for the season' — the Winter Solstice," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

The Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year, takes place today. This natural holiday signals the return of the sun and the new year, and has been celebrated for millennia in the Northern Hemisphere with festivals of light, evergreens, feasts and gift exchanges.

FFRF thanks its Chicago chapter members for placing the banner.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, with the help of a Pennsylvania member, has placed its Winter Solstice banner in Wilkes-Barre's Public Square to counter religious displays set up there.

The 7½-by-3 foot banner states: “At this Season of the Winter Solstice, LET REASON PREVAIL. There are not gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth & superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”

The Madison, Wis.-based national state/church watchdog has over 19,000 members nationwide with more than 670 in Pennsylvania. FFRF has two ongoing federal lawsuits in Pennsylvania over Ten Commandments in front of public schools.

The banner, which was attached by city of Wilkes-Barre employees to a display structure, joins "The Seven Universal Laws For a Better World" (No. 1: Believe in G-d) and an ad for a religious event attached to a looming menorah.

"It is our hope that one day government spaces will be free from religious — or irreligious — displays, but until then we will do our best to counter these unlawful displays and remind passersby of the 'real reason for the season' — the Winter Solstice," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

"Christians don't own the month of December,” added Co-President Dan Barker.

FFRF thanks local supporter Justin Vacula for his great help and initiative in getting the banner placed. Justin, a student, received a $250 honorable mention award from FFRF for his graduate student essay this year.

Darrell Barker poses with FFRF's banner in 2011. 

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, on behalf its 1,000 Washington members, placed its Winter Solstice sign today in front of the state capitol for the second year.

The Madison, Wis.-based national state/church watchdog has over 19,000 members nationwide.

Thanks to FFRF Board member Darrell Barker, the Winter Solstice banner was erected to counter a large nativity display outside the Washington Capitol in Olympia. Barker has applied for and received a permit to keep the display up until the end of the year, for as long as the nativity scene will be on government property.

In 2008, FFRF, at the request of one of its octogenarian members in Shelton, Wash., sought a permit to display its own sign to counter a life-sized nativity display allowed for a second year inside the Statehouse. Religious, and irreligious displays, do not belong at the seats of government in public-owned government buildings, FFRF maintains, but if religion is going to be there, there must be “room at the inn” for irreligion as well.

The engraved sign read: "At this season of the Winter Solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

Placement of the sign set off such a firestorm, when Bill O’Reilly of Fox News and others condemned its presence, that the governor ended public forums inside the Capitol. That was FFRF’s goal. However, the state is now permitting displays outside the Capitol, and a nativity scene has been placed by a private group in 2011 and this year.

"Our sign is a reminder of the real reason for the season, the Winter Solstice," said Dan Barker, Foundation co-president, and brother of Darrell Barker. "Christians don't own the month of December.”

The Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year, takes place this year on Friday, Dec. 21. This natural holiday signals the return of the sun and the new year, and has been celebrated for millennia in the Northern Hemisphere with festivals of light, evergreens, feasts and gift exchanges.

Religion "hardens hearts & enslaves minds" declares the Freedom From Religion Foundation on its newly placed Winter Solstice banner challenging a nativity scene on government property near city hall in Prineville, Ore.

FFRF is a national state/church watchdog with over 19,000 members nationwide, including more than 600 in Oregon. Portland was the site of FFRF's annual national convention this year, attended by nearly 900 freethinkers in October.

FFRF has openly opposed the unconstitutional nativity display since 2010 when Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert asked the mayor to move the nativity onto private property.

"There are ample private and church grounds where religious displays may be freely placed. Once the government enters into the religion business, conferring endorsement and preference for one religion over others, it strikes a blow at religious liberty, forcing taxpayers of all faiths and of no religion to support a particular expression of worship," Markert said.

In response to FFRF's appeal, the city voted not to sponsor any further nativities. Now a local resident "leases" city plaza and has erected another crèche. The lessee who puts up the crèche, is allowing FFRF to plant its sign, but FFRF opposes this reservation system because it theoretically grants power to the lessee to deny individuals a "room at the inn."

In a Dec. 5, 2012, letter to the county parks district director and city mayor, FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel contended that "the best policy is for Prineville is to prohibit all displays. If the city desires to open a public forum, it must manage the forum."

The Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year, takes place this year on Friday, Dec. 21. This natural holiday signals the return of the sun and the new year, and has been celebrated for millennia in the Northern Hemisphere with festivals of light, evergreens, feasts and gift exchanges.

FFRF thanks local supporter Sarah Fierbaugh for erecting the banner.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation's Winter Solstice banner is on display on the grounds of the Gladwin County Courthouse in Gladwin, giving Michigan secularists an opportunity to celebrate reason during the winter holiday season.

Local FFRF supporter Joe Chavez put the banner up last week after fashioning a sturdy frame of 2-by-4 lumber. It's part of the holiday display at the county building for the second straight year.

The banner's inclusion in December 2011 came after a long struggle with the county board. For more than a year, FFRF had been sending letters of complaint to the board about the unlawful nativity scene being displayed prominently on government property.

FFRF's letters prompted the county board to review its administrative polices on the use of government property for a public display. The county, which had previously let the Ministerial Association erect a holiday display but refused to open the door to any alternate groups, agreed to open a true public forum due to pressure from FFRF.

Dan Barker, FFRF co-president, a former minister turned atheist, said Christians tend to think they own the month of December. "We don't agree. No month is free from pagan reverie!"

Barker also thanked Chavez for his efforts in placing the banner.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has placed a Winter Solstice banner in Streator's city park today to counter a nativity scene and Christian display on public property.

FFRF is a national state/church watchdog with over 19,000 members nationwide, including nearly 700 in Illinois.

This is not the first time FFRF has openly declared its opposition to the nativity scene. Last holiday season FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott contacted Mayor Jimmie Lansford protesting the creche and its position on public property. Locals took issue with the nativity itself and the blatantly Christian sign next to the display that read: "Unto you is born the Savior Jesus Christ the Lord."

"Erecting a manger scene on public property is an exclusionary act, which tells the many non-Christian and nonreligious Streator residents and passersby that 'there is no room at the inn' for them. It's time to make room for other viewpoints, and to celebrate the real reason for the season — the Winter Solstice," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

The Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year, takes place this year on Friday, Dec. 21. This natural holiday signals the return of the sun and the new year, and has been celebrated for millennia in the Northern Hemisphere with festivals of light, evergreens, feasts and gift exchanges.

In April 2012 FFRF and a local supporter placed the group's "Nobody died for our sins. Jesus Christ is a myth" banner to challenge a sign in the city park that declared: "Jesus died for your sins." Just three days after the banner went up it was stolen. FFRF was able to replace the sign and made sure to include a warning: "P.S. your god says, 'thou shalt not steal.'" The new sign stayed up for the duration of the permit.

"We think the city would be wise to exclude all displays from the park. Our banner is a protest of the city’s continued decision to permit public property to be misappropriated to promote an exclusionary sectarian message," said Gaylor. "There are tax-free churches on practically every other corner where manger scenes and crosses may be placed. City parks ought to be free of religious divisiveness."

FFRF thanks a local member for erecting the banner. Just as the nativity scene is lit, there will be two spotlights on FFRF's banner.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation will place its Winter Solstice banner in Boston Common (Boston, Mass.) today at 2 p.m. to counter an inappropriate nativity scene on park property.

FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert has worked diligently to secure a permit for a location near the publicly placed nativity scene. FFRF's display will be on the common near Tremont/Park Street.

"It is our hope that one day government spaces will be free from religious — or irreligious — displays, but until then we will do our best to counter these devotional displays on public property and remind passersby of the 'real reason for the season' — the Winter Solstice," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

FFRF is a national state/church watchdog with over 19,000 members nationwide, including more than 400 in Massachusetts.

The banner states: "At this Season of the Winter Solstice, LET REASON PREVAIL. There are not gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth & superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

The Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year, takes place this year on Friday, Dec. 21. This natural holiday signals the return of the sun and the new year, and has been celebrated for millennia in the Northern Hemisphere with festivals of light, evergreens, feasts and gift exchanges.

This same message is going up across the country this holiday season.

A vandal or vandals in Warren, Mich., damaged the Freedom From Religion Foundation's Winter Solstice banner the day after it was put in place to counter a religious nativity scene on public property.

The 7½-by-3 foot banner states: “At this Season of the Winter Solstice, LET REASON PREVAIL. There are not gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth & superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”

It was placed Friday, Dec. 15, in the median of Mound Road by local FFRF member Douglas Marshall, who got a permit for it from the Macomb County Department of Roads. The damage was done sometime Saturday night.

"After a stake pole was vandalized, our banner was blowing around the median," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "We urge police to investigate this tampering. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has opposed using this median strip for religious displays not only as a constitutional violation, but a traffic hazard.

"Now that the town has formally deemed it a public forum, FFRF and our area members have full right to place our display. Fanatics who would censor our speech should realize such vandalism is not only criminal, but could cause serious accidents," Gaylor said.

FFRF has been involved with this particular nativity scene in one way or another for the past four years. In 2008, Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert sent a letter to the Macomb County Road Commission requesting an investigation into the placement and permit of the nearly 10 foot-tall crèche.

Marshall (who is a plaintiff in FFRF's ongoing lawsuit against the Warren crèche) and other FFRF supporters planned to restore the banner this noon to its permitted spot.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation says an illuminated Latin cross atop the San Angelo Police Department in San Angelo, Texas, must come down.

FFRF is a national state/church watchdog with over 19,000 members nationwide, including over 900 in Texas.

FFRF and its local complainant contend that the cross is in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and is "an unmistakable symbol of Christianity."

"The building is clearly marked 'San Angelo Police Department,' which allows all passersby to identify it as a city building. Its hosting of a powerful sectarian symbol cannot be seen as a traditional decoration of the holiday season, but instead can only be a message of government support of Christianity," wrote FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert in a Dec. 5 letter to Police Chief Tim Vasquez.

The illuminated cross is part of the police department's annual Christmas display.

Markert points out that the cross sends a harsh message to members of the community who are non-Christian or non-religious that they are outsiders. Illuminating a cross at night for all to see is an overt and egregious endorsement of Christianity, "which is prohibited under the Constitution." She added that the law is on FFRF's side, as many courts have ruled against Latin cross displays in government spaces.

FFRF urges the police department to take immediate action to remove the cross.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation returns to Macomb County (Warren, Mich.) this holiday season — this time with its bright and timely Winter Solstice banner.

With the help of local member Douglas Marshall, the display is set to go up tomorrow at 2 p.m. near the highly contested "Satawa nativity scene." Marshall applied for a permit to place FFRF's banner near the nativity at Mound Road (about 110 feet south of Chicago Road) in Warren, Mich.

"It is our hope that one day government spaces will be free from religious — or irreligious — displays, but until then we will do our best to counter these unlawful displays and remind passersby of the 'real reason for the season' — the Winter Solstice," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

FFRF has been involved with this particular nativity scene in one way or another for the past four years. In 2008 FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert sent a letter to the Macomb County Road Commission requesting an investigation into the placement and permit of the nearly 10 foot-tall crèche.

The commission determined Satawa never received a proper permit to install the display in the median of a highway, so they ordered him to remove it. After being denied a permit in 2009, Satawa sued the commission, alleging an Establishment Clause violation and violation of his right to free speech. FFRF filed an amicus brief supporting the commission. While the dispute was litigated, the nativity scene was displayed at St. Anne’s Catholic Church.

In 2011, the U.S. District Court ruled against Satawa, arguing that the nativity scene posed a traffic safety hazard. U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen said that "Concern for public safety constitutes a reasonable, viewpoint neutral reason for excluding speakers from a nonpublic forum." Satawa, unhappy with the decision, appealed to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals who overruled the district court.

Now any individual or organization can apply for a permit to put up a display (pursuant to Macomb County Road Commission policy).

FFRF is also placing a Winter Solstice banner in Gladwin, Mich.

Warm thanks to FFRF Member Douglas Marshall for all of his help with this project.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation contacted Prescott public schools, the City of Prescott, Yavapai County and the Arizona Secretary of State over their support and participation in a devotional Christmas celebration in front of the county courthouse in downtown Prescott, Ariz., that crosses the constitutional line.

FFRF has over 19,000 members, with more than 500 in Arizona, including in Prescott, and a local chapter based in Phoenix, The Valley of the Sun Chapter. This ceremony excludes the “almost one million Arizonans [who] are not Christian,” according to the American Religious Identification Survey (2008) for Arizona.

Bennett has been engaged in this ceremony for the past 20 years, during which time he was on the Arizona Board of Education, including two terms as president, and a member of the state Senate.

“This ceremony flouted the First Amendment requirement that state and church remain separate. The public schools, city, county, and state all clearly endorsed the central tenets of Christianity: that Jesus was born of a virgin and that he is humanity’s ‘savior,’ ” wrote FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel in a Dec. 12, 2012 letter to all public officials involved.

A copy of the letter can be read here.

Among Supreme Court rulings Seidel cited was this caveat: “The government may acknowledge Christmas as a cultural phenomenon, but under the First Amendment it may not observe it as a Christian holy day by suggesting people praise God for the birth of Jesus.” Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter, 492 U.S. 573, 601 (1989). Seidel noted that “the city, county, state and schools far exceeded this constitutional limitation during this ceremony.”

The “story” Bennett read was text from the book of Luke in the Christian bible, chapters one and two. The songs the children were asked to sing were overtly religious as well. “To address only one of the seven songs, “Joy to the World’s” lyrics include references to ‘the Lord,’ our ‘King,’ ‘Heaven,’ ‘the Savior reigns,’ ‘sins,’ ‘He rules the world through truth and grace’ and ‘His righteousness.’ According to the opening verse of the song the world is meant to feel joy because ‘The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare him room…’ This proclaims Jesus the King of the Earth and asks every listener to become Christian. In other words, the government stamp of approval is given to a song not only espousing Christianity, but also proselytizing for Christianity.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is hosting a noon solstice celebration on Friday, Dec. 21 from 12-1 p.m. at the Wisconsin State Capitol (GAR Memorial Hearing Room — use door 413 North or 417 North.

The festivities will include solstice carols with Dan Barker on piano and Ken Lonnquist on guitar, as well as sweet treats and hot beverages. Donations of non-perishable food items and money will be collected for Second Harvest. FFRF will also be accepting donations for the Women’s Medical Fund, directed by FFRF founder Anne Gaylor. 

Stop by to admire FFRF's two Capitol displays, our Winter Solstice sign and our do-it-yourself natural Winter Solstice 'Nativity' display (countering a crèche), in 1st floor (not ground floor) rotunda. Click here to view a copy of FFRF's Natural Nativity scene flyer. 

Reason's Greetings and Merry Solstice!

Ten bus signs bearing four different messages from the Freedom From Religion Foundation went up today for a month on Anchorage city (“People Mover”) buses.

FFRF, based in Madison, Wis., is a state/church watchdog and the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics) with more than 19,000 members nationwide. FFRF has placed billboards or bus signs in more than half the states since starting a public relations campaign to up the visibility of freethought.

Two buses bear the seasonal sign showing a jolly Santa saying, “Yes, Virginia, there is no God.” The "Yes, Virginia" reference is a play on the famous question posed by 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon in 1897 to the New York Sun newspaper. In an unsigned editorial, the Sun's Francis P. Church wrote his oft-repeated "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" line. The message and artwork was designed by Steve Benson, a former Mormon turned atheist who is the Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist for the Arizona Republic.

Dan Barker, Foundation co-president, a former minister-turned atheist, said Christians tend to think "they own the month of December. We don't agree. No month is free from pagan reverie!"

FFRF’s other bus signs all employ a stained-glass window motif. Three ask the passenger to “Imagine No Religion,” two advise, “Sleep in on Sundays,” and three say: “Enjoy Life Now: There Is No Afterlife.”

Placing signs on Anchorage buses was suggested by an Anchorage member of FFRF who generously underwrote much of the cost.

A recent PEW study reported that 1 in 5 adult Americans now identifies as “nonreligious.”

“Given that independent streak Alaskans are known for, there are many nonbelievers in Anchorage and Alaska at this time of year, who also have a message of good news and cheer — that reason is the answer,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.